Is Pa. Gov. Trying to Destroy Public Education?

Gov. Tom Corbett has shown again that he is against working people by his proposed state budget.

While proposing to reduce business taxes, he has made it clear that he wants to reduce or eliminate pensions for both current and future public school employees. This group includes teachers, bus drivers, custodians, secretaries, cafeteria workers, teacher aides and others.

These people did not create the current pension deficit. The deficit accumulated over the past decade because the General Assembly reduced the state's and the school districts' contribution rate to an extremely low level. They unwisely delayed payment of much of the state's and districts' fair share of the required contributions according to the formula in place at that time.

Meanwhile, during the past 10 years our public school employees have contributed at the previous rate, or at an even higher rate. It was the state government that created the pension deficit, not the public school employees.